HELP! what's my Bala doing?!?!

[Stotts]

What is he doing?!? I've never seen him do this before and why is his top fun reddish?!

 

[Stotts]

Anyone?

 

[Brookster123]

What exactly is it doing that's abnormal? What are your tank parameters? Size? How old is the bala?

 

[Stotts]

A year old, not sure and it's a 65 G, the balla is like 4 inches

 

[Brookster123]

A year old, not sure and it's a 65 G, the balla is like 4 inches

You are not sure what your parameters are? Do you test your water?

 

[Stotts]

Yeah but I haven't in like a week

 

[Brookster123]

I'd start there, if your ammonia or nitrites spike or nitrates get to high than that could explain abnormal behavior in your fish.

 

[Brookster123]

Also, how often do you change water?

 

[Stotts]

Last time I did one was like 1.5 weeks ago? Probably a 35%?

 

[Stotts]

But how do you explain his fins turning red? And I have this weird stuff in the tank

 

[Brookster123]

I can't explain the fins, I'm not any expert on balas, I'm just trying to get proper info in the thread for you so when someone that does know bala's jumps in they will not have to ask you all these questions, you should really test the water and do a 50% wc

 

[Stotts]

Okay thanks, ill do that when I'm home, I really want to know what's wrong with their fins

 

[Brookster123]

What do you feed them? Just 2 of them? Do they all have the red fins?

 

[Stotts]

Yeah my biggest guy doesn't have red fins, and I can't recall exactly what I feed them but it's high end stuff

 

[Brookster123]

So it's a constant diet of one particular flake/pellet food?

 

[Stotts]

No I feed both pellets and flakes, pellets 2 days in a row then flakes

 

[Brookster123]

What else is in the tank with them?

 

[Stotts]

2 plecos 2 catfish 1 cherry barb (I know they are aupposed to be in groups) and then 2 random guys

 

[Brookster123]

Is it going to the surface a lot? Gasping for air or breathing rapidly?

 

[Stotts]

One of them is very close to the surface, not really gasping for air